[Echocardiographic changes in 91 patients with acromegaly]

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Endocrinology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Acromegaly, a condition caused by excess growth hormone (GH), can lead to cardiovascular complications.
• Cardiac involvement in acromegaly, known as acromegalic cardiomyopathy, requires thorough investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence and characteristics of acromegalic cardiomyopathy in patients with acromegaly.
• To investigate the relationship between active acromegaly and cardiac structural changes.

Main Methods:

• Echocardiography was utilized to evaluate cardiac structure and function in 91 acromegaly patients.
• Measurements included left ventricular internal diameter, wall thickness, and left ventricular mass.
• Analysis focused on 76 patients with active acromegaly (GH > 5 ng/ml).

Main Results:

• The incidence of acromegalic cardiomyopathy was 85.5% in active acromegaly patients.
• Active acromegaly patients exhibited significantly increased left ventricular mass (339.1 ± 85.6 g; 188.8 ± 46.7 g/m²).
• Left ventricular hypertrophy and/or dilation were common, with predominantly symmetric patterns; right ventricular hypertrophy was rare.

Conclusions:

• Acromegalic cardiomyopathy is highly prevalent in active acromegaly.
• Elevated growth hormone levels are strongly associated with cardiac remodeling in acromegaly.
• Echocardiography is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring cardiac changes in acromegaly.